Omraje Nimbalkar, a member of Parliament from the Shiv Sena (UBT), has confirmed his switch to the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde.
This defection represents a significant blow to Uddhav Thackeray's political standing and provides the rebel camp with the necessary numbers to maintain its legal standing. By securing a two-thirds majority of its members, the Shinde-led faction can avoid the risk of disqualification.
The Shinde faction requires six MPs [2] to meet the two-thirds threshold of the nine total Lok Sabha MPs [1] originally associated with the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction. Reports indicate that two rebel MPs, including Nimbalkar, have officially crossed over [3]. Other reports suggest up to six MPs may be ready to walk out of the Thackeray-led party [4].
Devendra Fadnavis described the political maneuver as a success. "Operation is successful," Fadnavis said.
In response to the departures, Sanjay Raut offered a critical perspective on the lawmakers who left the UBT faction. "Return to Uddhav Thackeray's Sena if you regret your mistake," Raut said.
The shift in loyalty has prompted some of the rebel MPs to move to Delhi, where they may seek to form a separate Lok Sabha group. This movement follows a period of intense instability within the Maharashtra political landscape as the two factions of the Shiv Sena continue to battle for legitimacy and party control.
“"Operation is successful."”
The acquisition of these MPs allows the Eknath Shinde faction to stabilize its position in the Lok Sabha by meeting the anti-defection threshold. By reaching the two-thirds majority, the group prevents the disqualification of its members, effectively neutralizing a primary legal threat to their tenure and further isolating the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership.
